Train order delivery crane



Feb. 8, 1944. E. T. FORD TRAIN ORDER DELIVERY CRANE Filed sept. 1, 194:5

Patented Feb. 8, 1944 -l E 2,341,089' rrRArN ORDER DELIVERY CRANE Edward. T. Ford; Red Key,lnd., assignor of onehalfto H. F. Rogers, Red Key, Ind. n.

Application september 1, 1943, serial No. 500,817

` Claims.

This invention relates to a train order delivery crane, and has for the primary object the provision of a device of this character which maybe easily and quickly adjusted to Support one. or more orders in position to be taken up by a moving train from either the front or rear end of said train or from both ends of the train and may be quickly brought into a position for reloading or into a fully inoperative position when not desired for use.

With these and other objects in view asl will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, `combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating a train order delivery crane constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan View, partly in section, illustrating the journal for one of the crane arms and the means for limiting the rotation of the crane arm.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional View illustrating one of the latches engaging one of the journals.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 5 indicates a vertically arranged supporting post on which are pivotally mounted in superimposed and spaced relation plates 6 and 'I provided with journals 8 rotatably receiving shafts 2 and l il each provided with an enlarged socketed end H to frictionally receive staffs l2 of order holders i3 and ld. The staffs I2 can be readily removed from the enlarged ends of the shafts and be placed therein. The walls of the sockets are shaped to receive angularly related faces of the staffs.

The shaft S is slightly longer than the shaft lll and is provided with a hand grip I6 for the purpose of rotating said shaft 9 to change the positions of the order holder I3. The order holder I3 is of the double type permitting two orders to be carried thereby in a removable manner, either one of which may be brought into a position for delivery through the rotation of the shaft 9 by the hand grip I6. A collar I1 is secured on the shaft 9 and is provided with a lug I8 to engage a stop i9 formed on one of the I bearings or journals of the platey to limit the rotation of the shaft 9, the purpose of Which is to permit the operator to bring either of the orders carried by the order holder i3 into positionof delivery.

The plates E and 'lare connected by a tie rod 2li provided with a turn buckle 2| whereby the shafts 9 and I0 will be caused to swing 'in unison to assume either an upwardly and outwardly inclined position, as shown in'full lines inFigure l, for the purpose of arranging the orders in delivery position or into horizontal position, as shown in dotted-lines whereby the staffs l2`may be easily detached from the shafts 9 and IU for the purpose of having new orders applied thereto or to swing downwardly andoutwardlyfrom the post to position the shafts 9 andv l0 in full inoperative position. When in this latter named position the staffs I2 and the order holders carried thereby are preferably detached from the shafts 9 and l0.

Latch plates 22 and 23 similarly constructed are pivotally mounted on the post 5 and are spring influenced to normally occupy latching position. The latch plate 22 is for the purpose of engaging the plate E for supporting the order holders in order delivery position, as shown in full lines in Figure l, while the latch plate 23 is for supporting the shafts 9 and Il) horizontally and as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1, so that the staffs and order holders thereof may be removed and replaced with ease.

The order holder I3 consists of a head 25 secured to the staff and has secured thereto pairs of fingers 26. The fingers of each pair are arranged in diverging relation and one nger of each pair is arranged in parallel relation to the corresponding finger of the other pair of fingers, as clearly shown in Figure 1. The free ends of the ngers have pivoted thereto spring clips 2l to engage flexible elements 28 to which the orders are secured.

Fasteners 29 are secured to the head 25 between the pairs of ngers, and are provided with resilient gripping portions 30 to frictionally receive and grip the flexible elements and coact with the spring clips 2'! in supporting the flexible elements in triangular shaped form. The holder M includes a head 3b connected to the staffs i2 and diver-ging fingers 3l provided with spring clips 32 hinged thereto to engage the flexible element to which the' order is secured and the flexible element is also engaged by a fastener 29 applied to the head 3Q.

In operation, with the device positioned and the orders applied to the order holders, as shown in Figure 1, the device is arranged for the delivery of orders both to the front and rear end of a passing train. Also should the train be provided with double engines, the head I3 may have its position reversed by the rotation of the shaft 9' after one of the orders has been obtained by the crew of the rst locomotive so as to bring the other order in position to be received by the crew of the second locomotive.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention,it will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. In a train order delivery crane, a vertical supporting post, journals pivotally mounted on the post in superimposed relation, shafts carried by said journals, means connecting the shafts for pivotal movement in unison, and order holders including staffs removably secured to said shafts.

2. In a train order delivery crane, a vertical supporting post, journals pivotally mounted on the post in superimposed relation, shafts carried by said journals, means connecting the shafts for pivotal movement in unison, order holders including stairs removably secured to said shafts, said shafts having three positions, one for supporting the order holders in order deliverying position, another for supporting the order holders in position for removal and the other in a fully inoperative position, and pivotally mounted spring influenced latches carried by the post for releasably securing the shafts in two of the stated positions.

3. In a train order delivery crane, a vertically arranged supporting post, plates pivoted on said post in superimposed spaced relation, tie means connecting said plates, journals on said plates, shafts carried by said journals and having socketed ends, and order holders including stais received by the socketed ends of the shafts.

4. In a train order delivery crane, a vertically arranged supporting post, plates pivoted on said post in superimposed spaced relation, tie means connecting said plates, journals on said plates, shafts carried by said journals and having socketed ends, order holders including staffs received by the socketed ends of the shafts, and spring influenced latches pivoted on the post to engage the plates for releasably secring the plates in two of several positions occupied by the order holders.

5. In a train order delivery device, a vertically arranged supporting post, plates pivoted on said post, adjustable tie means connecting said plates, shafts journaled on said plates and having socketed ends, order holders including staffs removably received by the socketed ends of the y shafts, one of said order holders including a head having pairs of lingers connected thereto and the other holder including a head having a pair of ingers connected thereto, spring clips pivotally connected to the fingers to engage and grip flexible elements carrying orders, and fasteners carried by the head and located between the fingers and provided with gripping portions to receive and grip the flexible elements.

EDWARD 'I'. FORD. 

